Abbott is proving himself weak as he allows the national broadcasters to manipulate him in spending billions on education that won't improve a thing except teachers unions pay packets. He was foolish making the promise before the election. In his favour he has kept to his word. Labour knows no such thing except failed immigration policy and economic vandalism which they are still trying to do from opposition.

Tobe honest I do not agree with GYs summation.
Well not the whole issue, greens want to distance them selves from Labor.
I desperately hope in time Labor will want that too.
I think Labor still needs to examine its last 3 years, as a favor to those of us who want true reforms.
And think it stepped in some thing here that smells.
The debt ceiling should have been passed but the question why asked often.
Greens need big party,s to do anything and in time they will use both badly.

Surely the thing that really matters here is that the Greens have effectively condoned a huge increase in debt!

What on Earth are they doing??

Greens leader Christine Milne says the deal will make the debate about debt in Australia more mature while also making it more transparent.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/joe-hockey-cuts-deal-with-greens-to-scrap-debt-ceiling-20131204-2yqph.html#ixzz2mZ5KJ6fU

This appears to be the essence of the deal – better transparency and quality of debate in exchange for unlimited borrowing power!

Well, that is just deplorable!

Of course what we should be getting is transparency AND maximised efforts to reduce borrowing and to then reduce the overall debt.

The facilitation of ever-more borrowing, now even more freely than before, is as about as crackers as you can get. I’ve been pretty disgusted with the Greens for a long time, but that just seals it!

Not quite sure what to make of all this
except to say that political parties make
deals all the time - when it's in their
interests. I guess we'll have to see what
they hope to achieve with this. Interesting
times ahead that's for sure.

What is interesting is that Christine Milne is by implication accusing Labor of having a Tea Party opposition to the change.

The Greens senators want to polish their Senate seats for the term of the government. Christine Milne will retire at the end of it. Her parliamentary superannuation is doing OK.

I for one am reminded that Labor/Greens was reason for heaps of charges.
Too that Tony said he would not enter in to an agreement to govern.
Also had Labor been in office the current flood of lost jobs would be headlines blaming them.
In the end I understand governments to govern must get bills past.
Unlike my opponents I can not make a mountain out of the mole hill.
We will see much more of it.